The novel is set in Texas, shortly after World War I or The Great War, and centers on sculptor Francis “Gil” Gilheaney; his daughter Maureen, who is also a sculptor; and rancher Lamar Clayton, who commissions Gilheaney to create a statue commemorating Clayton’s son Ben, who died during the war. It sounds like a very simple premise – but as we delve into the book, author Harrigan takes us to another time and place and creates characters who are complex and intriguing. We learn how these people have been shaped by passion, fate, the war, and the decisions they have made.

In preparation for Gulf Coast Reads, it might be interesting to explore the time before WWI. Discover what was going on in America and how the 20th century was bringing enormous changes into the lives of its citizens, in politics, social changes, literature, and the arts. And since Remember Ben Clayton is set in Texas, I’ve decided add some documentaries and books about the state’s history.